Thunderdonk

Thunderdonk is produced by the Scapegrace Distillery, which was co-founded in New Zealand in 2014 by Daniel McLaughlin and Mark Neal. Originally based in a small office in Auckland, the business has grown to the point where the largest distillery in the country opened on a 36-hectare facility in Central Otago in late-2024.

While Scapegrace produce gin, vodka and other spirits, single malt whisky is a key part of the portfolio and this is used as the base of a new brand which aims to crack into the rapidly expanding flavoured whiskies market. While it's still relatively niche in the UK it's massively popular in the USA and you can find flavours of almost any type. But the majority tend to be overly sweet or incredibly artificial - which does mean that those releases that get the balance right and actually taste like what they claim on the label stand out even more.

I will always have reservations about a flavoured whisky until I actually get to try it - and I was so pleased to find that the first two Thunderdonk releases - despite the silly name (which apparently doesn't really have any reference and just sounds fun) and the unserious marketing - are genuinely enjoyable.

I bloody LOVE Maple Syrup - I use it in pretty much all the Old Fashioned recipes available on the Speakeasy bar menu - so naturally I was hoping this would work. And it does There's a surprising kick of warm chilli on the front of the palate, before a wave of soft maple rolls through on the finish. That heat stops the drink becoming too sweet, but chilling slightly will also take that edge of. I think I give this the edge over the Salted Caramel release and it's damn fun to share with friends. Don't knock it 'til you've tried it!